Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim. (Photo courtesy of BPI-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – Bangsamoro regional lawmakers have started tackling Wednesday three regional priority codes aimed at further strengthening governance in the area.
The three measures filed before the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority are the Local Government Code (Cabinet Bill No. 58); the Civil Service Code (Cabinet Bill No. 59); and the Administrative Code (Cabinet Bill No. 60).
“We are aware that the passage of six priority codes are the main duties mentioned in the Bangsamoro Organic Law and we are also aware that there have been concerns about the status of these codes,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said during his speech at the 40th plenary session of the BTA parliament on Wednesday.
Ebrahim said the codes were “carefully drafted” by the Bangsamoro Cabinet with inputs from the region’s Office of the Speaker of the House, Office of the Majority Floor Leader, and some members of the parliament before submitting it to the parliament.
“We are confident that we will be able to iron out whatever issues and challenges we may face in completing the legislative process,” Ebrahim said, “What is of prime importance is we pass these vital legislations within the year, In Shaa Allah (If Allah wills it).”
Three other sets of laws -- the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, Revenue Code, and the Educational Code -- would be tackled by the BTA members later this year.
Ebrahim said that the six priority legislations had undergone numerous deliberations, consultations and sessions with experts, including a meeting held on July 20, for its final presentation.
Under the BOL, the BTA is also mandated to enact a law “to recognize, protect, promote, and preserve the rights of indigenous peoples in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.”
Ebrahim noted such action by the BARMM government indicates its commitment to fulfilling its duties to the Bangsamoro people during the transition period despite the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis.
“The positions we are holding are reminders of the huge responsibilities entrusted to us by our people. Our sense of reward should be about seeing our people living a significantly better life even s we need to do more in achieving this goal,” he told the BTA members.
During Wednesday's session, 45 parliament members were physically present, while 15 joined via online conference. (PNA)
